Pope Francis appeared in the center of St. Peter’s Square on Sunday to voice his displeasure at the traditional birth scene.
Instead, Pontiff told visitors during his last Sunday blessing and pre-Christmas address that they should instead visit the outdoor exhibition under the square colonnade where 100 small traditional birth scenes are displayed.
According to Reuters, Francis said the exhibition showed how Jesus was born (and) લોકો how people try to use art to show that our faith is a great religious teaching.
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He made no mention of the birth scene at the center of the square, which is a larger ceramic display than life, featuring a character reminiscent of Darth Vader, an astronaut and villain from the “Star Wars” film franchise.
Wait faithfully through the birth scene as they await the start of Pope Francis’ Angeles afternoon prayer in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican, on Sunday, December 13, 2020. (AP Photo / Gregorio Borgia)
During an address from his window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, Francis warned that the marked holy day of Jesus’ birth had been “kidnapped” by consumerism and urged people who had nothing.
“Consumerism has hijacked Christmas, (taking it) away from us.” “There are no consumers in the manger in Bethlehem. What is there is reality, poverty and love.”
Earlier this month, Francis reminded people that the Christmas season provides a reason for hope amid the hardships of the coronavirus epidemic. He urged believers to give the true meaning of Christmas – the birth of Jesus – and to help those in need.
Pope Francis delivers afternoon prayers in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican, on Sunday, 20, 2020. (AP Photo / Gregorio Borgia)
“There’s no epidemic, there’s no crisis that will extinguish this light,” he said, pointing to a Christmas tree set up days ago in St. Peter’s Square.
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The Vatican celebrates a variety of donated births each year, selected by the municipal government. This year’s performance received rave reviews in the media and from visitors.
It was built between 1965 and 1975 by students and teachers at the Italian Castelli Castelli, famous for its ceramics. The astronaut is said to represent a lunar landing in the late 1960s and early 1970s, according to visitors’ descriptions.
The Associated Press contributes to this report.
